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Lynne Featherstone MP on Wednesday hosted a packed apprenticeships event at Haringey Civic Centre, in tandem with Wood Green Jobcentre Plus.

The event was attended by 18 organisations and over 130 of Haringey’s young people, who were keen to find out more about the hundreds of apprenticeship opportunities on offer.

Many took part in workshops with the London Apprenticeship Company, the National Apprenticeship Service and Barclays – to get specific advice on making applications.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green opened the event with a speech – highlighting that youth unemployment in her constituency was down, and that 530 new apprenticeships have been created since 2010.

Gordon Birtwistle MP – the Government Apprenticeship Ambassador – was also present to discuss the value of apprenticeships and to meet the young people and companies.

Tracey Longhurst from the Barclays Early Careers team said:

“This was a great event with dozens of young people talking to us about opportunities within the Barclays Apprenticeship Programme.

“There was genuine surprise from some of them when they heard that we don’t ask for formal qualifications and are simply looking for the right attitude and potential. Others could not believe that Barclays paid for you to work and study for a degree through our school leaver, Barclays Degree Programme.

“I am confident that some of the people who we spoke to will be applying for jobs with us.”

Government Apprenticeship Ambassador Gordon Birtwistle MP said:

“I was absolutely delighted to be able to go along to this fantastic event that focused on apprenticeships. It was well organised with some fantastic companies there and it was good to see so many people there making the most of the information available.

“Apprenticeships are the way forward. They provide on-the-job training and offer a wage with a career at the end of it. There are a lot of young people under pressure to go to university and study subjects for which there is a shortage of jobs.

“The careers fair in Haringey was a fantastic idea to show young people that there are alternatives and many opportunities that out there and how to apply for them. It was wonderful to see my colleague Lynne reaching out to all these young people in her constituency with this great apprenticeship fair.”

James Snelling, Acting Jobcentre Operations Manager for the London Boroughs of Haringey and Islington 

“We were thrilled to be able to partner with the Local MP and providers to co-deliver this successful Apprenticeship event and showcase to Haringey’s young people the wide range of opportunities available from our partners and employers.”

Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“It’s fantastic that so many of Haringey’s youngsters came to the event to find out more about the great apprenticeship opportunities available to them.

“The organisations did a great job exhibiting their apprenticeships, and I’d also like to thank Gordon Birtwistle MP for coming along and offering his expertise on apprenticeships and their benefits to everyone.

“I will be keeping in touch with the people and organisations who attended so we can track how many apprenticeships have been created as a result of the event.”